Struggling with Fanatec Pedals CSP v2

Premium Member

Hi everyone

Not sure if anyone can give me some advice on this but worth a try.

About six months ago my Thrustmaster pedals broke and I decided to treat myself to a set of the Fanatec CSP v2 pedals.

I just cannot get used to the load cell brake, I don't know what it is but I'm either locking up everything, locking up fronts, locking up rears. Or just not slowing down at all if I try and brake later.

I can't brake anywhere near as late as I used to so I'm losing so much time compared to everyone else. Everyone just passes me under braking all the time.

On an average lap, I'm about four seconds a lap slower than I was with the Thrustmaster pedals and I'm getting pretty depressed about it!

I play around with the load cell settings and usually keep it on 6-7 which is a nice balance, any higher and the braking is just too sensitive.

Is there a setup guide or has anyone found any good settings that may help me out?

I did read about the standard angle settings being too high?

I was originally looking at the HPP hydraulic pedals but left it as they were at the time out of my price range, wish I'd saved up a little more now. Maybe the hydraulic sensor may have been better for me.

Copenhagen APEXPremium Member

About six months ago my Thrustmaster pedals broke and I decided to treat myself to a set of the Fanatec CSP v2 pedals.

I just cannot get used to the load cell brake, I don't know what it is but I'm either locking up everything, locking up fronts, locking up rears. Or just not slowing down at all if I try and brake later.

I can't brake anywhere near as late as I used to so I'm losing so much time compared to everyone else. Everyone just passes me under braking all the time.

On an average lap, I'm about four seconds a lap slower than I was with the Thrustmaster pedals and I'm getting pretty depressed about it!

I play around with the load cell settings and usually keep it on 6-7 which is a nice balance, any higher and the braking is just too sensitive.

Is there a setup guide or has anyone found any good settings that may help me out?

I did read about the standard angle settings being too high?

I was originally looking at the HPP hydraulic pedals but left it as they were at the time out of my price range, wish I'd saved up a little more now. Maybe the hydraulic sensor may have been better for me.

Click to expand...

Have you tried to fiddle with brake deadzone ingame (Iracing, GCS, PC ect.)?

Premium Member

Hey @Andrew Harper, I recently bought the V3 model, and I think I can very easily relate to the problem(s) you're facing. First and foremost, going from a spring to a load cell is going to be frustrating at the beginning, that's a common fact. Basically, everything you knew has to be forgotten, and learned again, because the input you give to the game is not based on travel anymore, but on pressure.

To me, the main thing is to feel and understand that even if when the brake pedal is pressed all the way, it is still possible to modulate the intensity of the braking. Once you'll get used to that, you'll see that pushing more and less the pedal (without moving it, it's all about the pressure), it makes it actually easier to find the threshold between maximum efficiency and locking up.

In concrete terms, I would do two things. First, set up the load cell sensitivity (hardware) so that you can push it without having to sweat after five laps as if it were a workout (which you have done already I think). Secondly, look up in the driver setting (software) and press the pedal where you think it should be 100%, and set that value to maximum. These two steps ensure that the pedal throw and pressure are about your taste for a regular and confortable use. Note: these are the options for the V3 pedals, I guess that's similar for the V2 but can't tell for sure.

In the end, load cell based pedal won't make you faster (or maybe a tiny bit), but it's prabably going to make you more consistend, since braking relies on muscle memory. It also depends on the game, some makes it easier to feel what you're doing with a load cell than others.

Premium Member

Hey @Andrew Harper, I recently bought the V3 model, and I think I can very easily relate to the problem(s) you're facing. First and foremost, going from a spring to a load cell is going to be frustrating at the beginning, that's a common fact. Basically, everything you knew has to be forgotten, and learned again, because the input you give to the game is not based on travel anymore, but on pressure.

To me, the main thing is to feel and understand that even if when the brake pedal is pressed all the way, it is still possible to modulate the intensity of the braking. Once you'll get used to that, you'll see that pushing more and less the pedal (without moving it, it's all about the pressure), it makes it actually easier to find the threshold between maximum efficiency and locking up.

In concrete terms, I would do two things. First, set up the load cell sensitivity (hardware) so that you can push it without having to sweat after five laps as if it were a workout (which you have done already I think). Secondly, look up in the driver setting (software) and press the pedal where you think it should be 100%, and set that value to maximum. These two steps ensure that the pedal throw and pressure are about your taste for a regular and confortable use. Note: these are the options for the V3 pedals, I guess that's similar for the V2 but can't tell for sure.

In the end, load cell based pedal won't make you faster (or maybe a tiny bit), but it's prabably going to make you more consistend, since braking relies on muscle memory. It also depends on the game, some makes it easier to feel what you're doing with a load cell than others.

Click to expand...

Thanks Charles (and master Yoda), yes you've described my issues perfectly. I think I've "raced" for so long with a potentiometer style brake that trying to train my brain to use a load cell is just proving much harder than I thought. I knew it would be different though.

From Gran Turismo to pCars

About six months ago my Thrustmaster pedals broke and I decided to treat myself to a set of the Fanatec CSP v2 pedals.

I just cannot get used to the load cell brake, I don't know what it is but I'm either locking up everything, locking up fronts, locking up rears. Or just not slowing down at all if I try and brake later.

I can't brake anywhere near as late as I used to so I'm losing so much time compared to everyone else. Everyone just passes me under braking all the time.

On an average lap, I'm about four seconds a lap slower than I was with the Thrustmaster pedals and I'm getting pretty depressed about it!

I play around with the load cell settings and usually keep it on 6-7 which is a nice balance, any higher and the braking is just too sensitive.

Is there a setup guide or has anyone found any good settings that may help me out?

I did read about the standard angle settings being too high?

I was originally looking at the HPP hydraulic pedals but left it as they were at the time out of my price range, wish I'd saved up a little more now. Maybe the hydraulic sensor may have been better for me.

Click to expand...

I experienced exactly the same thing a few years ago when I bought my first CSP set for the Fanatec 911 Turbo wheel. I was much slower with those pedals.
After a few weeks my times came back to an acceptable level but still less competitive than what I was before.
I remember that I was training for a race when I received the G25 pedals adaptator. On the first lap I did after installation, I was faster than my best "load cell" time by 1 second !

I decided to go back to the G25 pedals but they stopped working at some point. I had moved to Gran Turismo 5, all competitions allowed ABS and the game was anyway not really challenging on the brake side. Using the CSPs were much easier and I got used to them that way.
A few months after that, when I moved back to more demanding simulations and competitions banning ABS, I had no problem anymore. My brain and muscles had learned to use load cell based pedals.

... So my experience is that if you struggle using this kind of pedals, the transition can benefit from an intermediary period where you use driving assists or play simplified simulations.

Premium Member

I do feel better that I'm not the only one who had trouble with the switch to load cell. It certainly is a different feeling and technique. I do brake hard initially and then modulate the brake to try and stop locking up or unbalancing the car but I have to brake much earlier to make the corner now.

I keep telling myself to do a season of AI racing away from club and league races so I can get used to using them in a less pressured environment but I never get round to it!

Thanks so much for the help though, at least I now know I'm not imagining it!

i got my self csr elite and had the same issues , it was hard to move from travel base paddle to pressure but now i can never go back to my old g27 pedals . just practice and make sure your seat and pedals are not moving . also go to DSD website , he has a software that basically you can setup that your brake in game will reach to 100% faster then your actually applying , this is good till you get used to the load cell .

Being 2nd is to be the 1st of the ones who lose.Premium Member

Hey @Andrew Harper, I recently bought the V3 model, and I think I can very easily relate to the problem(s) you're facing. First and foremost, going from a spring to a load cell is going to be frustrating at the beginning, that's a common fact. Basically, everything you knew has to be forgotten, and learned again, because the input you give to the game is not based on travel anymore, but on pressure.

First, set up the load cell sensitivity (hardware) so that you can push it without having to sweat after five laps as if it were a workout (which you have done already I think). Secondly, look up in the driver setting (software) and press the pedal where you think it should be 100%, and set that value to maximum.

Click to expand...

@Chark I could never get my head round to this pressure thingy with a load cell. What does it exactly mean? I mean the more pressure you apply the more travel in the pedal, regardless of a potentionmetric or a load cell based pedal. What is it that I am missing?

Second point is how do you set up the load cell sensitivity for V3 pedals (hardware)?
While we are at it, how do you make those vibration motors work for V3 pedals? I just got my V3s a week ago and the rumble seems to trigger in some sessions while in others they just remain quite. It also seems to me that those are triggered based on a certain distance of pedal travel rather than the actual car physics. I might be wrong about this as I am testing them on a laptop and I dont have my PC anymore to test these properly yet.

Premium Member

Well the vibration motor depends on how it's connected to the PC. If it's via a fanatec wheel the vibration setting is done by the wheel software. If they are standalone fanaleds does the control.

So on mine fanaleds simply vibrates the motor once I reach a certain amount of pedal pressure, I think the fanatec driver is more advanced than that in that the pressure is set via the wheel control.

To setup the load cell go to the game. (In this example I'll use GSCE) go to the controller screen where you can see the pedal movement.

Press the brake pedal as comfortably as you can. You may see that the red bar doesn't reach all the way to the top. Adjust the load cell either up or down until you get about 95% I'd say. If you do 100% I've noticed I just keep locking up too soon. Full braking becomes too "easy".

You can also do this via the control panel controller settings as well.

Only other thing I did was adjust a little deadzone on the pedal in game.

I'm playing around with sensitivity as well last night in pre-quali. Think I've found a solution to my problem as all of a sudden I'm nearly three seconds a lap faster but the chequered flag came out! Damn. Will keep trying though as I know this may not work with all cars.

Premium Member

I run the CSP v1 with the mods they used to sell to adjust the loadcell damper and springs of the other Pedals.

I have also struggled with feel for a long time, but I have settled for a setting with a more sensitive loadcell (not needing to press the pedal so hard) and usually about 15% deadzone in the top, meaning the game uses 100% brake at about 85% brake input on the loadcell.

For me this works like a charm, but I am no Alien by a long stretch!
At least I find I have good control over braking the various Cars in the various sims this way.

Premium Member

I could never get my head round to this pressure thingy with a load cell. What does it exactly mean? I mean the more pressure you apply the more travel in the pedal, regardless of a potentionmetric or a load cell based pedal. What is it that I am missing?

Click to expand...

Well, it's more like, the more pressure you apply on the pedal, no matter the travel, the more brake input you give to the game. For example, if your load cell on a light setting, the pedal will have a bit of travel, whereas it won't have any if you're on the strongest setting. What matters is how hard the pedal is pressed, not how far.

I'll try with an example. Imagine your hold your hand in front of you, in the air. The harder someones pushes it down, the lower it will go down (assuming you're not resisting). That experiment would represent a travel based pedal. A load cell based pedal would be represented by having your hand in front of you, resting on a table. When someone presses it, it will not go down, but you'll definitely feel more pain (for the pressure sensor in the pedal, more pain = more braking). Is it any clearer?

Second point is how do you set up the load cell sensitivity for V3 pedals?

Click to expand...

For the hardware part, you can rotate the red part behind the brake pedal. The higher it is, the stronger it will be (that means the travel of the pedal will be reduced). Make sure to stay between the painted limits. Set up that hardware part first to your liking, and then for the software part, what @Andrew Harper said work, although I would recommend using the driver properties windows if you have the V3, it works quite well. This way, you won't need to adjust every single game you want to play. When you've installed the Fanatec drivers for the pedals, you should have a shortcut created, called Fanatec Wheel Property Page, that'll bring you to the gaming controller properties (you can also access it by the control panel\hardware and audio\peripherals and printers, then right clicking on a gaming device). Select the V3 pedals and click properties. Then press the brake until the point you think should be maximum pressure for your liking. And then, you should be set to go. Make sure you check for any flickering in that menu.

turn the red part behind the brake:

enable the manual mode, press the pedal to your liking, then press set max.

While we are at it, how do you make those vibration motors work for V3 pedals?

Click to expand...

Actually I can't get them to work as I'd like to. As @Andrew Harper said, it can be set up with the wheel if you have a Fanatec one (which I don't), but it that case it's just vibrating after a certain threshold. What I'd like is the brake motor to rumble when I lock up (or trigger the ABS) and the throttle motor to rumble when the tyres are slipping. I've installed FanaLEDs hoping that would happen, but it doesn't give me any results so far... The motors are a bit unpowered if you ask me, more of a gimmick than a real selling point.

Since the last update to GSCE the motors have stopped working (I think it's an issue with the exe file being changed? I seem to remember some plugins no longer work) but with all the other racing sims I have I've had no issues. Nice foot massage into turn one.

One thing I was going to add. I was at the Autosport show this year and as usual most stands had driving sim rigs on them. Was interesting to see the different setups. I spotted quite a few Bodnar, or OSW wheels I also spotted the HPP pedals on one stand and managed to get ten minutes on the rig, really nice pedals (although as I'd read online they do make a bit of racket being metal on metal), wish I'd saved up a bit more now!

Being 2nd is to be the 1st of the ones who lose.Premium Member

Yes, Charles. It was just a fad for the first couple of days. I have them motors turned off now anyway. Haven't got the chance to test them on rf2 or gsce since my PC was stolen, so can't really tell if my driving has improved in terms of not locking up but have been able to try them on my office laptop using iRacing and I do indeed not lock up for most part of the races that I do there.